


All this time

by reylatek



Category: Impact Wrestling | Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, Professional Wrestling
Genre: Confessions, Friends to Lovers, Kayfabe Compliant, Light Angst, M/M, Mild Smut, Oblivious, Pining, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-31
Updated: 2020-01-31
Packaged: 2021-02-25 12:15:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22495960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reylatek/pseuds/reylatek
Summary: Jake wants to be taken seriously as a wrestler. But is that the only reason for his restless sleep?
Relationships: Sami Callihan | Solomon Crowe/Jake Crist
Kudos: 2





	All this time

**Author's Note:**

> This is set in early January (before Hard To Kill).

Jake was exhausted when he joined his friends at breakfast in the hotel.

"What's wrong?" Sami asked.

"I don't know. I haven't slept well lately."

Sami thought for a moment before he suggested, "Let's share a bed tonight."

"What?" Jake stared at him.

"That way I can keep an eye on you. You can't afford to be exhausted when we're in the ring."

Jake had already roomed with Sami a thousand times before. Sharing a bed with him couldn't be that much different, could it? So he agreed, "Okay."

The next night they got settled in their new hotel room with a queen-size bed. While Sami was dressed in an oVe T-shirt and black boxer shorts, Jake was wearing a red pajama. The blond smiled as he climbed into the bed. "This is like a pajama party, isn't it? I loved those as a child."

Sami was already sitting on his side of the bed, still checking social media on his phone. He raised an eyebrow as he turned to the other man. "Aren't pajama parties for girls?" Jake's smile vanished. So Sami quickly added, "You know what? Doesn't matter. You had fun, and that's what's important."

It was enough for Jake to beam at him again, the way he had always beamed at Sami - ever since the first time they had met. People who didn't know them would probably think that Jake was in love with him. But Sami knew better than that, and he wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

He put his phone on the nightstand and asked, "Why do you look up to me so much? I mean, I'm great and all, but... you're older than me. You actually taught me the ropes. I should look up to you."

Jake's face contorted as if someone had punched him. "I... Well, I've always known you're a star..." He turned his gaze away.

Sami remembered one of Jake's latest tweets and understood what he had done wrong. Jake wanted to be taken seriously. He didn't want to play second fiddle anymore.

"I believe in you," Sami said. "You know what? If it wasn't for me, you would probably be the Impact World Champion now."

Jake tilted his head to the side and furrowed his eyebrows, looking like a puppy. "Are you making fun of me?"

"No, I'm serious. People always told you that you can't become a pro wrestler. They told you that you are too small. But you've proven them all wrong. You had to work harder than most of us, and you've never given up. I respect that. I-" Sami stopped when he saw the way Jake gazed at him. If he didn't know better, he could have sworn that his blue eyes had turned to stars. He looked down. "Jake, I know I've treated you like you were inferior to me, but I've done that for myself. I had to believe in myself. If I had told you the truth, if I had told you that you can be just as great as me, maybe even greater, we... we would have become enemies." Sami swallowed and his voice was broken when he continued, "And I've never wanted to feud with you again. I don't want to lose my best friend..." He felt his eyes fill with tears and quickly wiped them away. Damn, why was he always so emotional?

He cleared his throat and looked up. "I've been selfish-"

He wasn't able to say more because Jake grabbed his head and kissed him, kissed him on the lips like he had done before, but this time it was different. It wasn't for _show._ It wasn't to get Sami's attention or provoke him. It wasn't a _Kiss of Death._ But was it a kiss of friendship or...?

Jake's eyes widened, surprised at his own behavior. He pulled back and lowered his head. "I'm sorry..." His cheeks flushed red.

Sami licked his lips as he tried to understand what had just happened. He felt his own face getting hot.

"I'm sorry," Jake repeated.

"Don't apologize-"

"No, I mean, I'm sorry I made it awkward." Jake looked up and smiled shyly.

"Well, we've been in more awkward situations before." Sami laughed sheepishly as he thought of the times they had faced each other in the ring.

Jake remembered the confusion of the CZW fans when he had kissed Sami multiple times.

"Let's just forget about it and sleep now," Sami suggested and Jake agreed as he turned off the light.

* * *

Jake was indeed a restless sleeper, tossing and turning in bed, mumbling incoherent words all the time. Sami was lying on his back and stared at the ceiling. The moon shone through the curtains, and his eyes had adjusted enough to the dim light that he was able to recognize a small black spot close to the wall. He wondered what had happened there when Jake turned around again, and his arm landed on Sami's stomach.

Sami sighed and decided to try something to calm his sleeping friend down. He turned on his side too and wrapped his arms around the smaller man. Jake stopped moving and pressed his face against Sami's chest. His body was so warm, and his hair smelled of coconut. Sami took a deep breath while stroking Jake's back in a soothing way.

He wondered if Jake was having nightmares, and if he did, what was the reason for that? Was he really worried about his career? Jake was 35 years old, and he'd had to work so hard to get where he was now. All the blood, sweat and tears he had shed in the ring, so much blood in CZW. Sami knew how much he had sacrificed and how he put his body on the line and even risked his health. Sometimes it worried him.

He looked at his friend, who was mumbling again and wriggling in his arms. "Jake..." he whispered.

Jake blinked. "Sami?" He blushed when he realized how the other man held him.

"You know what?" Sami started. "After Hard To Kill when I've beaten Tessa, I'll give you a title shot."

"What?" Jake sat up straight and stared at him. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah, you deserve- No, you've _earned_ it."

"Really?"

Sami nodded while sitting up. "You and me, we go way back. We've been friends for 15 years."

"Sami, I want you to understand that even if I beat the shit out of you, I will always love you."

Sami chuckled. "Yeah, of course. We're family."

_Not like that, you idiot,_ Jake thought. Why didn't Sami understand him?

"I don't want you to hold back," Sami said. "That would be disrespectful."

Jake jumped forward and kissed the other man so fiercely that Sami fell onto his back. Jake, who straddled him now, pulled away and searched for any signs of anger in Sami's widened eyes, but all he could see was surprise and confusion. So he confessed, "I love you, Sami. I really really love you, more than as a friend. I've always loved you. Why are you so blind?" His eyes filled with tears.

Sami reached up and used his thumb to wipe them away. "Please stop... I'm sorry."

Jake felt his heart breaking. Now Sami would tell him that he didn't feel the same, and he had ruined their friendship, and they could never go back to how it had been before...

He moved away and gave Sami enough room to sit up in front of him.

"I'm sorry," Sami repeated. "I never wanted to get my hopes up. I always thought that no one would love someone like me anyway." He swallowed and looked at the other man. "I love you too, Jake."

Jake's eyes widened and he tightly hugged his friend. Tears ran down his face again, but this time he cried with happiness.

He grabbed Sami's head and kissed him deeply, and for the first time their tongues met. This was everything Jake had wanted for all those years, and he couldn't wait any longer. He ripped his pajama top open and lay down on his back. "Please touch me..."

Sami caressed his chest, let his hands glide over his warm skin while Jake closed his eyes. He leaned down and placed soft kisses all over his upper body, licked and sucked on his nipples. Jake moaned and brushed his fingers through Sami's hair.

Sami kissed him on the lips again and slowly moved his hand to the bulge in Jake's pants. He wasn't sure how far his friend wanted to go tonight, and he didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable. But Jake bucked his hips, longing for more. "Please..."

Sami slipped his hand into Jake's pants and briefs and wrapped his fingers around his hard cock, making him gasp. He pressed their foreheads together while he began to jerk him off. Jake hugged him, and Sami felt his hot breath on his face. It didn't take long. Then Jake groaned and came all over his hand.

"Oh, fuck. I'm sorry," he panted. His face flushed red. "I think I... Fuck."

Sami chuckled and gave him a kiss. "Don't worry. I'm glad I can make you feel that way."

He moved away and sat up. Without caring about the cum on his hand, he grabbed his own dick and pulled it out of his boxers. Jake wanted to get up, but Sami stopped him. "No, don't..." He cupped Jake's face with his left hand. "Just watch me with your beautiful eyes," he said while stroking himself.

Jake beamed at him, like he always had, and it didn't take Sami long either before he came over his friend's stomach, marking him as his own.

Breathing heavily, he leaned down again and gave Jake another kiss. Then he pulled back and looked into his eyes. "I love you, always have and always will."


End file.
